The message may be light-hearted but the line-up is heavy on celebrity as Debenhams unveils an all-new Christmas ad campaign. 

Entitled ‘Duh, Debenhams’, its cast of “British cultural icons” includes actress Elizabeth Hurley, model and TV host Leomie Anderson, comedian Ellie Taylor, and presenter/podcaster Hannah Cooper-Dommett.

Merging “holiday sparkle with playful sass”, we’re told the cast “brings a fresh perspective to festive shopping dilemmas”.

The 30-second hero film also ignites the battleground between shopping physically or digitally across the festive season.

It therefore showcases Debenhams.com “as the ultimate destination to ease seasonal shopping stress” and invites viewers to “browse, click, and shop from the comfort of their homes”. 

The campaign, which spotlights the brand’s extensive fashion, beauty, and home collections, encourages shoppers to ask themselves “why they endure the crowds when they can enjoy a hassle-free experience at Britain’s online department store”?

Turning from physical shopping in a backdrop of “dreary, rainy skies” towards digitally-inspired “festive zen”, it showcases “relatable shopping challenges accompanied with a mischievous wink and a nod”. 

The accompanying soundtrack is a reimagined rendition of the classic ‘Carol of the Bells’, offering a playful twist on the melody that sings the campaign’s tagline, ‘Duh’.

The multichannel campaign has just launched on YouTube and will roll out across broadcast television, Out-Of-Home (OOH), Digital Out-Of-Home (DOOH), Video On Demand (VOD), digital, social media and press.

Key placements will include The Outernet in London plus key rail stations Manchester Piccadilly, and London Euston.

Outgoing Debenhams CEO Dan Finley (who’s to be parent company Boohoo’s new chief) said: “‘Duh, Debenhams’ flips the script on festive shopping chaos and boldly establishes us as the ultimate answer for a stress-free Christmas shopping experience. Our iconic British cast delivers ‘Duh, Debenhams’ in a classic yet humorous style.”

“As home to a community of c 10k brands catering for every taste and generation, we’re reminding customers just how effortless shopping can be at Debenhams.com.”

The campaign was created and produced by independent creative communications agency Exposure.